The present invention relates to a transport device for redirecting piece goods in one plane whereby the piece goods are supported on a grid of orthogonal rows of driven roller bodies which, in part, protrude through a cover.
German Patent No. 22 61 936 discloses a transport device in which the roller elements are designed as balls rotatably supported in a stationary ball retaining plate and wherein drive discs are rotatably installed on a common bearing plate which can be moved in their plane by means of a guiding device in an area determined by the dimensions of the drive disc. Such a transport device permits a redirecting of the piece goods to be transported but since balls are used, considerable contact pressure is produced between the balls and the drive discs and also between the balls and piece goods to be transported. Relative shifting in a redirecting procedure between the cover and the support carrying the roller bodies is inevitable.
German Utility Patent No. 17 83 683 discloses an apparatus for the transport of metal sheets on rollers whereby the support rollers are driven via a bevel gear drive and the housing containing the bevel gear drive with the over-mounted support roller must be turned via another drive in order to turn the support rollers. Such an arrangement is expensive and susceptible to problems.